Business Development Manager

MP Recruitment; Abingdon; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

MP Recruitment is seeking an experienced Business Development Manager to join a growing apprenticeship assessment and skills organisation. You will lead business development across the UK, identify opportunities, build strategic relationships and secure long‑term partnerships with employers, training providers and industry stakeholders.

Working with senior leadership, you will shape the commercial strategy, grow the assessment portfolio and ensure an outstanding customer experience through

Qualifications

• Proven experience in sales, business development or commercial growth at management level.
• Experience within apprenticeships, FE, skills, education or assessment.
• An established network across the apprenticeship or skills sector.
• Experience with apprenticeship standards, End‑Point Assessment or awarding organisations.
• Strong commercial awareness and a proven ability to drive growth.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the business development and sales strategy.
• Identify new opportunities across apprenticeship standards and emerging markets.
• Build strong relationships with employers, training providers and industry stakeholders.
• Generate and secure new assessment contracts and partnerships.
• Manage the full sales cycle from lead generation through to contract and onboarding.
• Maintain sales pipelines, forecasts and performance reporting.
• Attend industry events, conferences and networking opportunities across the UK.
• Provide market and competitor insight to support strategic decisions.
• Work closely with delivery, quality, marketing and operational teams to ensure excellent customer experience.
• Present to prospective and existing customers and contribute to senior leadership meetings.

Skills

Sales leadership

Business development

Apprenticeships sector knowledge

Relationship building

Forecasting & pipeline management

Presentation skills

UK driving licence

Education

Degree or professional qualification

Job description

The Role

An exciting opportunity for an experienced Business Development Manager to join a growing organisation within the apprenticeship assessment and skills sector. This newly created role will lead business development activity, identifying new opportunities, building strategic relationships and securing long‑term partnerships with employers, training providers and industry stakeholders. Working closely with senior leadership, you will help shape the commercial strategy, grow the assessment portfolio and increase market presence across the UK.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the business development and sales strategy.
• Identify new opportunities across apprenticeship standards and emerging markets.
• Build strong relationships with employers, training providers and industry stakeholders.
• Generate and secure new assessment contracts and partnerships.
• Manage the full sales cycle from lead generation through to contract and onboarding.
• Maintain sales pipelines, forecasts and performance reporting.
• Attend industry events, conferences and networking opportunities across the UK.
• Provide market and competitor insight to support strategic decisions.
• Work closely with delivery, quality, marketing and operational teams to ensure excellent customer experience.
• Present to prospective and existing customers and contribute to senior leadership meetings.

About You

We are looking for someone with:

• Proven experience in sales, business development or commercial growth at management level.
• Experience within apprenticeships, FE, skills, education or assessment.
• An established network of contacts across the apprenticeship or skills sector.
• Experience working with apprenticeship standards, End‑Point Assessment/Apprenticeship Assessment or awarding organisations.
• Strong commercial awareness and a proven ability to drive growth.
• Excellent relationship‑building, negotiation and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical, forecasting and pipeline management abilities.
• The confidence to influence senior stakeholders and work cross‑functionally.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a reliable vehicle.

Desirable: Experience in a regulated environment such as Ofqual, plus a relevant degree or professional qualification.

This role will require Security Check clearance, thefore a 6 year UK searchable footprint will be required.

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious apprenticeship‑sector business development professional to take ownership of a new commercial function and play a key role in the organisation's future growth.